Nkrumah (Ash), Jan. 17, GNA – A 20-year old suspected robber is being held by the Police at Nyinahin in connection with a robbery attack at Nkrumah, a farming community in the Atwima-Mponua District of the Ashanti Region.It left two assembly members and one other person hurt.George Duru, together with two others on the run, raided the community at about 0130 hours on Thursday, held many of the people at gun-point and robbed them of their monies and valuables.They shot the assembly member, Mr Iddrisu Salifu, in the waist and one Kwame Poku, in the arm.The two were rushed to the Kwadaso SDA Hospital in Kumasi and are reported to be responding to treatment.Police Superintendent Ephraim Kwarteng, the District Commander, who confirmed the incident to Ghana News Agency said for about a-half of an hour, Duru and his gang held the entire community hostage amid sporadic gunshots.Some of the young men later mustered courage and engaged the robbers, forcing them to flee.They managed to capture Duru but his colleagues slipped through, leaving behind a motorbike, which has been impounded by the police.GNA

Fasen (W/R), Jan.17, GNA - The town of Fasen in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region, was on Thursday thrown into a state of pandemonium when the ghost of a 39-year old man allegedly arrested a fetish priest.The ghost of Kweku Musu purportedly manifested itself in a woman, Maame Abome, and arrested Nana Tandoh, the fetish priest, who supposedly shot him spiritually.The Chief of Fasen, Nana Obomu Nketsia, III, confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency.He said Oldman Armoo’s mobile phone got lost about three months ago and upon several announcements he did not find it, therefore, he reported the theft to a powerful fetish priest, Nana Tandah at Kwamekrom, to deal drastically with the thief. Interestingly, the chief said, Armoo bought the phone from the fetish priest therefore Nana Tandoh performed all the necessary rituals at his shrine and then preceded to Fasen, where the phone was stolen, and shot a gun three times in the air.The chief said the one who stole the phone then left the phone at the door mat of the owner, Armoo, in the evening.The next day, Armoo went to Kwamekrom and informed the fetish priest about the return of the phone and asked Nana Tandoh to reverse the ritual but he told him it was too late and warned Armoo not to touch the phone.Unfortunately, the chief said, Kweku Musu, died mysteriously last Monday January 13, and when the family of the deceased inquired about the death of their relative from a shrine, it was revealed that Nana Tandoh killed him.Therefore, the family of the deceased returned to Fasen to bury Kweku Musu on Thursday January 16, however, the ghost of the deceased manifested itself in a woman and went to Kwamekrom and arrested the fetish priest from his shrine.The chief said the ghost dragged the fetish priest, including the gun and a pot to funeral ground thereby creating pandemonium at the town.Nana Nketsia said the residents of the town then brought the fetish priest to the palace where he confessed shooting Kweku Musu with a spiritual gun.The chief said it took his personal intervention to prevent the fetish priest from being lynched by the angry mob.Nana Obomo said he had asked the family of the deceased to report the case to the police.He said currently, the fetish priest had returned to his shrine at Kwamekrom, however, the gun, bullets and a clay pot had been seized and kept at the chief’s palace at Fasen.GNA

Accra, Jan. 17, GNA – The Bureau of Ghana Languages (BGL) on Thursday cautioned that it would descend heavily on pirates who are plagiarising their publications.The Bureau said its publications are being heavily pirated especially in the Greater Accra, Volta, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Western and Central Regions, which had contributed to its dwindling fortunes.Madam Benedicta Esi Anibri, BGL Acting Director gave the warning in an interview in Accra with Ghana News Agency on the sideline of a two- day retreat of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and its agencies.She noted that the anti-piracy exercise would minimise the menace and increase patronage of their publications.“This will help increase the Internally Generated Funds of the Bureau,” she said.She said offenders would be taken to court so as to deter social deviants and to eliminate them from the system.Madam Anibri said the BGL’s vision is to provide effective and excellent services for the development, promotion, orthographic control and learning of Ghanaian Languages and cultural aspects through pragmatic strategies and to influence government policies on language.She said in pursuant of its mandate, the Bureau had collated the list of textbooks recommended by the West African Examinations Council, colleges of education, Ghana Education Service and the universities for reprint, stating that in all 33 titles had been selected and five printers awarded the contract to undertake the reprinting project.The Acting Director said the Bureau would be purchasing a van for it sales promotion throughout the country.She lauded the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation for giving the Bureau air time to broadcast during adult education programmes to educate the public during special occasions such as the international mother tongue day.She appealed to other media houses to give the BGL the needed support to help promote the learning of Ghanaian Languages.GNA

Tamale, Jan. 17, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday announced that government has expanded the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to cover other diseases.These include breasts and cervical cancer and mental illness.Other services brought on board include family planning, care for pensioners and children under the age of five.President Mahama announced this when he jointly inaugurated the Regional offices of the National Health Insurance Authority and the National Communications Authority (NCA).The inauguration formed part of President Mahama's two-day official visit to the Northern Region, where he inaugurated a 39.3 million- Euro project at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.President Mahama would also inaugurate completed development projects in the Bunkprugu District and climax his visit with a durbar at Nalerigu in the Mamprusi West District.He said government would roll out claims centres throughout the country to speed up the recovery of national health insurance claims.President Mahama said the health capitation programme is a major way in which the NHIS could be sustained for future generations and appealed to health professionals to lend their support to government to implement the programme to achieve maximum benefits.On the NCA, President Mahama said government is constructing a 780- kilometre fibre optic cable to facilitate internet connection throughout the country.He said under the project all district capitals would be hooked to the internet, while additional 200 towns and communities along the cable project would also benefit.He said apart from South Africa, Ghana is the next largest user of broadband mobile phone services in the African continent, attributing the breakthrough to better implementation of information communication technology policies.President Mahama said the mobile phone network enjoys a total of 27 million subscription, attributing the high figure to the ability of Ghanaians to own more than one mobile line.Madam Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Health said the NHIS programme recorded a total of 9.1 million subscribers.She said the figure is expected to increase to 12 million by the close of 2014.GNA

Accra, Jan. 17, GNA – Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts (MoTCCA) on Thursday announced that government would soon build an ultramodern multi-purpose theatre in Kumasi.She said the theatre would have a creational facility, ultramodern shopping mall, seminar and conference facilities for major international meetings and provide jobs for Ghanaians.Mrs Ofosu-Adjare, who was interacting with the media during the opening ceremony of a two- day retreat programme of her Ministry in Accra, said a financial agreement was reached in 2013 by the government and the Türk Eximbank for the project.She lauded Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene for providing land for the project.She said government is committed to public private partnership for the promotion of the tourism, culture and the creative arts industry.Mrs Ofosu-Adjare observed that the first year MoTCCA) had proved to be eventful with the Ministry and its Agencies hosting several reputable events.She declared that the sector continues to be the fourth foreign exchange earner for the country.GNA

Accra, Jan. 16, GNA - The Plant Breeders Bill before Parliament, on Thursday generated disagreement with proponents insisting it is the way Ghana should go while opponents maintain it would be disastrous for the country.At media sensitisation workshop on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), proponents and opponents took turns to brief journalists on why GMOs should be embraced or why Ghana should tread cautiously.The day’s event is a partnership between the Graphic Communications Group Limited and the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development to equip journalists with the requisite knowledge on GMOs.Professor Walter Alhassan, Scientist and a proponent said GM is a subset of biotechnology and noted that the technology seeks to increase yield, improve protection from insects and disease, increase crops’ tolerance to heat, drought, and other environmental stress.According to him the Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is presently conducting confined field trials on BT cowpea and BT cotton in the Northern Region.Prof Alhassan said biotech in agriculture would ensure access to appropriate improved crop varieties in production to achieve food security.He explained that a GM seed for agricultural production is a choice farmers would have to make when Ghana goes commercial in production, whilst Ghanaian consumers also make similar choice to purchase and consume GM foods.Biotechnology in agriculture involves the use of scientific methods to produce genetically modified food crops that are more pest, disease and drought resistant and with short maturity periods.The Biosafety Law in Ghana was passed in 2011, to allow the application of biotechnology in food crop production involving GM Organisms to enter food production.The law also ensures an adequate level of production in the field for safe development, transfer, handling and use of GMOs.Opponents are of the view that GMOs are organisms which genetic material have been altered using genetic engineering techniques and come about as a result of laboratory process that fuses genes from one species with another in an attempt to obtain a desired trait or characteristic.In most cases, they are used to produce genetically modified foods for the western countries and can be produced on a large scale within a short time and therefore serve as a good relief to countries battling food insufficiency.Its introduction into the country they say would come at a cost, especially given that they will compete with naturally produced crops for patronage and consumption.Mr Yaw Opoku a member of Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG), an advocacy movement, has called on parliament to delay the passage for a thorough debate on GM foods, saying selling your food sovereignty is worse than slavery “and that is exactly what the bill sought to do”.However Prof Alhassan said there are adequate and thorough safety measures in the country to manage environmental and health risks associated with biotechnology.Mr Opoku on the other hand debunked the assertion saying there are a lot of regulatory bodies in the countries that are not living up to expectation.Mr Ken Ashibgey, Managing Director of the Daily Graphic said the debate on the GMOs is taking many twists with civil society groups emerging to support or oppose it.He said there is the need for journalists to be informed to lead the debate on the subject.GNA

Accra, Jan 16, GNA – The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts (MoTCCA) on Thursday began its maiden two day retreat programme in Accra.The retreat aims at providing a good platform to enable the Ministry review its overall performance for 2013 and the way forward for 2014.It is also an opportunity for all of MoTCCA and the 14 agencies under it to share ideas and make contributions towards the achievement of the Ministry’s set goals and objectives for 2014.Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts in her opening addressing said the President through the Executive Instrument (EI 2013) established the new Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, adding that this naturally necessitated a re-alignment of the Ministry to include the new portfolios of culture and creative arts.She said the realignment had also increased the number of agencies under the Ministry from three to fourteen and the expansion of the mandate places greater responsibility on the Ministry to deliver.She said: “The first year of the new Ministry proved to be eventful with the Ministry and its Agencies hosting several reputable events. I am sure you will agree with me that we performed quite creditably, notwithstanding the numerous challenges we faced.”“This year promises to be equally exciting and we can only guarantee success if we are able to maximize resources and minimize waste.”She urged the staff to reposition themselves to enhance productivity and also promote the tourism, culture and creative industry to Ghanaians and the world at large. On the issue of Non-Tax Revenue/Internally Generated Funds, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare observed that the Internal Audit Unit of MoTCCA had recommended that future Reports or Returns by all Agencies under the Ministry Arts should be reviewed by an independent person such as the Internal Auditor.Others are a breakdown of monthly targets of the various categories of Internally Generated Funds (IGF), and breakdown of the various expenditure lines the IGF was used for, instead of placing the bulk figure under ‘’Goods and Services’’.This she said would help determine whether the IGF expenditure was budgeted for or not.She also requested that all IGF –generating agencies send a copy of the letter from the Ministry of Finance authorizing the agency to utilize or retain 100 per cent of its IGF to the Ministry without delay.She further indicated that as part of efforts to strengthen information sharing across the spectrum of their sector, the Ministry had instituted an Expanded Management Meeting of MoTCCA and Heads of its agencies.The Minister explained that this was to allow strategic interaction, effective networking, among the Ministry and all its agencies for quality service delivery.She said the platform would also facilitate timely implementation of their Performance Contract with the President; which in turn has implications for all their agencies. “The challenges ahead of us are enormous and therefore you will all agree with me that the solutions call for self-discipline, time consciousness and dedication to duty,” she stated.GNA

Accra, Jan. 16, GNA - Vodafone Ghana is undertaking massive expansion work, to improve network quality for mobile customers in new and existing sites.The expansion which begun in November 2013 will see the deployment of a total of 403 coverage and capacity sites, and core network expansions using the latest state of the art technologies by the end of March 2014.The decision by Vodafone Ghana to undertake the massive network expansion drive is to give customers value for money and also meet the communication needs of new and existing customers across the country.Patricia Obo-Nai, Chief Technology Officer of Vodafone Ghana, said network quality remains the biggest driving force of Ghana’s highly competitive telecoms sector and it is fundamental to customer satisfaction and loyalty which Vodafone is keenly aware of.She said the telecommunication giant has over the years invested more than 700 million dollars into expanding sites from an initial 300 in 2009 to about 2000 across the country.“We’ve made a conscious decision to invest not just in our brand and market, but to build a network that is reliable, sound and stable. We are going to make sure that we are consistently reliable, and provide the best service,” she said.She said the expansion would boost business and customer experience and ensure an improved and seamless communication, which would also enable mobile customers to enjoy a faster and better data and voice experience.GNA

Accra, Jan. 16, GNA - Samsung Electronics West Africa has unveiled its latest super-sized 85-inch Ultra High-Definition (UHD) TV in Accra.The television set, which has an impressive resolution is four times more than that of regular full HD TVs.According to Mr Richard Nunekpeku, Marketing Manager for Consumer Electronics at Samsung West Africa, the electronics giant is building on its leadership on the Smart TV platform with the 85” UHD TV which offers a blend of technology and craftsmanship to deliver greater detail, unmatched clarity and an immersive and vivid picture quality to viewers.“The LED panel of the new UHD TV produces crisp detail along with optimal colour and contrast, while the Quadmatic Picture Engine adapts the source image, eliminates visual noise and improves the detail and sharpness of the image before up-scaling the picture to be displayed in Ultra HD resolution,” he said .Mr Nunekpeku said Samsung has also used its Precision Black Pro technology and Micro Dimming Ultimate feature in the new 85-inch UHD TV to provide better brightness, contrast with the deepest blacks, and real 4K resolution using proprietary algorithms.The new range of Samsung UHD TV features narrow bezels, metal stand and metallic finish and its design hides the built-in speakers and subwoofers that produce 70W audio and the one Connect Box used in the TV removes cable by aggregating all connectors from multimedia players.The new Samsung UHD TV is designed to give users the ultimate TV experience as they can enjoy enhanced search, navigation and control features, with Samsung's S-Recommendation with Voice Interaction Technology, a personal guide to discovering new and preferred content on Samsung Smart TV.The UHD TV also has built-in camera, video chat capability and wireless content sharing with mobile devices through screen mirroring.GNA

Accra, Jan. 16, GNA - Mrs Mawusi Nudekor Awity, a Development Expert, on Thursday launched her campaign to contest as the National Women Organiser of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Accra.Delivering her speech after the campaign launch, Mrs Awity promised to work hard to bring the NPP back to power if she is elected by the delegates.She promised to also create jobs for all women organisers through the requisite vocational and entrepreneurial skills.“All constituency women wings would be supported to have an income generating venture from where they can raise resources to support their programmes and the same tool would be used to win votes in the various areas,” she promised.She assured to operate the women’s wing of the party as a social enterprise, by establishing a resource centre in Accra by mid 2015 for the benefit all Ghanaian women.“As a development expert, I will bring my expertise to bear by periodically organising various capacity building programmes on resource mobilisation, proposal and report writing, communication skills, community mobilisation, leadership skills and campaign strategies to encourage more women to be able to elaborate the policies of the party,” she said.Mrs Awity promised to drive the women’s wing of the NPP to a higher pedestal of an institutional mechanism to promote women’s empowerment by utilising the talents of all the great experts in the party.She also promised to embark on a vigorous door to door campaign to ensure that NPP emerged winner of the 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections.“I am a unifier, a trainer, field person and a builder and I promise to work exceedingly hard to win more votes from women. Also, through volunteerism, commitment, and endless effort, I will together with my team work hard to bring our great NPP back to power,” she said.Madam Agnes Okudjeto, the former National Vice Chairperson of the NPP urged delegates to vote for Mrs Awity as she is very capable to lead the women of the party to victory.GNA

Tamale, Jan. 16, GNA - A total of 496 small and medium scale enterprises in the Northern Region have received financial support from the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) to boost their businesses.The groups are engaged in different forms of economic activities including the production of food crops, agro-processing, poultry and marketing of foodstuff.Mrs Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC, made this known in an interview with Ghana News Agency on Thursday in Tamale when she visited the Soglomboreboni Shea Processing Group.She said an assessment of the loans recovery is in progress to pave way for the next disbursement.Mrs Attionu said the centre would soon modify its system of disbursement by changing the issuing of cheques to beneficiaries by paying the money directly into their accounts.She said plans are far advanced to link shea nut processers to companies on the shea value chain to ensure that there is ready market for their produce.Hajia Della Memunatu Mumuni, Coordinator of the Group, lauded the support of MASLOC and appealed to the centre to fast track the second disbursement to enable members to start operations.She said the first loan facility increased the capital base of the members and enabled them to buy more shea nuts to process.GNA

Tamale, Jan 16, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday promised that his administration would work hard to ensure greater and quality health delivery to serve as the centre of excellence in Africa.He said government would also put up more facilities in the Tamale Teaching Hospital to become the service centre for neighbouring Togo, Benin, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.President Mahama said this when he inaugurated the first phase of the 39.3 Million Euro Tamale Teaching Hospital and cut the sod for commencement of work on the second phase of the project.The first phase of the project, being funded by the Government and the Netherlands has so far witnessed renovation, expansion and installation of equipment.The second phase , which would cost 48.5 Euros would include; a five- storey block with medical and surgical wards, faculty offices, tutorial and conference rooms, while a second five-story block consisting operating theatres and maternity wards would also be constructed.Another three-storey accident and emergency building with reception, beds, a new mortuary, pathology, laboratory and a new medical gases plant and ancillary facilities including power plant and waste management facilities would be provided.There would also be staff accommodation, and additional 397 beds.President Mahama said additionally, 1,600 community based health planning service (CHPS) compounds throughout the country to bring health care closer to the people in their geographical locations.He mentioned the construction of a hospital in every administrative capital, construction of polyclinics and training of more health personnel as some of the measures government had taken to achieve excellence in health.Madam Sherry Ayitey, Minister of Health commended the Northern Regional Health Directorate for their outreach programmes that had reduced maternal and child mortality.She gave the assurance that the Ministry would continue to construct more CHPS compounds to reduce child and maternal mortality throughout the country.She said government would continue to support the various mutual health schemes to ensure quality health care.Mr Bede Ziedeng, Regional Minister said the renovation of the hospital was necessitated due to the fast dilapidation of the facility.He called for peace and unity among all ethnic groups in the region to ensure perpetual growth and development.Dr Prosper Akambong, Chief Executive Officer of the teaching hospital said with the current capacity of the medical facility it could admit patients from other regions.He said it would help to trained more specialised medical officers, step up research programmes and help the authorities to establish synergies with other health facilities in the country and beyond.Mr Hans Docter, Dutch Ambassador gave the assurance that his country would continue to support Ghana to achieve her development goals.He said his country is assisting the University for Development Studies Medical School to upgrade its facilities.GNA

Accra, Jan. 16, GNA - The Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on Thursday retained its National Executives for another two years term of office at the 39th Annual General Meeting in Accra.A statement signed by Madam Angela Kafui, Public Relation Officer of the Chamber and copied to Ghana News Agency stated that the elected executives include Dr Seth Adjei Baah as President, Mr Prosper Adabla; First Vice President, Nana Appiagyei Dankawoso, Second Vice President, and Mrs. Victoria Hajar, National Treasurer.Dr Baah, expressed appreciation for the confidence and faith that the delegates have reposed in the Executives.He pledged the commitment of the elected officers, to continue the good work that they have begun and to also do more to ensure that they move the Chamber to greater heights.“As we commit ourselves to serving you, many challenges may arise but I will like to assure you as a leader that we will make the necessary sacrifices and I believe with your support and prayers, we will be able to surmount every challenge” the President added.GNA

Accra, Jan. 16, GNA - Ghana Water Company (GWC) must consider the use of Direct Debit payment system to help reduce revenue losses through customers’ non-payment of tariffs says the Chief Executive of Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS).Mr Archie Hesse said the Direct Debit provides the best option to Ghana Water to reduce losses.GhIPSS operates the national electronic payment system.The Direct Debit, which is an electronic payment system, enables a bank customer to instruct its bankers to make payments to a third party.The National Water Company has indicated its decision to pilot a prepaid metering system for water as it battles commercial losses due to the refusal of some consumers to pay their water bills. Besides the challenge that the system poses, prepaid metering for water is not well developed and some civil society groups have criticised the idea, saying it could deprive the poor of a basic necessity of life.Mr Hesse explained that since the Direct Debit is electronic, once the customer issues the instruction, the deductions and subsequent transfers will be made automatically.He added that, customers who pay by Direct Debit would not need to visit the banking halls to issue such instructions “and that convenience should encourage many more to pay,” he said.GhIPSS has different electronic payment systems that various institutions are applying for easy collection of monies due them as well as making payments.Mr Hesse said GhIPSS could support GWC, in case it decides to introduce the prepaid meters, by enabling customers to pay their bills with their ATM cards on the hybrid Point of Sales terminals which are being deployed.He said his outfit would not hesitate to have discussions with GWC and other utility companies on how they could deploy various electronic payment systems to make it easier for them to collect monies due them with an audit trail.The GhIPSS Boss expressed optimism that with various services being rolled out; there should be a lot of flexibility and convenience in payments of any form in the “very near future, such that only the very recalcitrant ones will continue to default in payments”.GNA

Accra, Jan.16, GNA - The Centre for Policy Research (CPR), has lauded government’s cancellation of some contracts between Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Development Agency (GYEEDA) and some service providers.A statement signed by Gloria Edusei, Executive Director for CPR and copied to Ghana News Agency said the centre welcomes the development because it believes it is in the best interest of Ghanaians.It explained that, the committee which investigated the GYEEDA saga revealed a total breakdown of systems at the Agency, including the neglect of due process in awarding some contracts to service providers.“In an era where austerity measures are being implemented to cut down government expenditure and to ensure value for money, it is only proper that such measures are taken to right the wrong,” the statement added.It revealed that, the centre has found out that, negotiations are ongoing in order to ensure that monies paid to certain service providers for no work done are refunded to the state.The statement said, the centre also observes the impatience of Ghanaians to see quick results in terms of the prosecution of culprits in the GYEEDA saga as well as refund of monies wrongly paid.It cautioned government to hasten slowly in this regard since any rush to get people jailed may result in miscarriage of justice.The statement added that, in this era of rule of law, citizens ought to believe in state institutions in order to offer them the necessary support and allow them to do their work.It recommended that, the nation should not gloss over the rules of natural justice thereby making people guilty until proven innocent.It urged government to follow due process and to also remain focused in dealing with the GYEEDA issue tactfully, so as to allow relevant institutions to work without putting undue pressure on them.The statement urged government to regularly provide information to the public on the progress it is making in resolving the GYEEDA issues.The centre is of the view that the fight against corruption must be holistic. Thus, it must begin from homes to the various work places where people pay or receive bribes on daily bases just to obtain favours.On that note, the centre urged all citizens, civil society organisations and the media to remain vigilant and join the fight against corruption in its various forms anywhere in the country.GNA

Accra, Jan. 16, GNA - The National Pension Regulatory Authority (NPRA), has directed licensed corporate trustees, to disinvest all portfolio in unpermitted instruments after maturity.Mr Laud Senanu, Acting Chief Executive Officer of NPRA, who gave the directive at a meeting with service providers, said more than GH¢32.1 million investments were made by corporate trustees into non-permitted instruments such as in microfinance institutions and non-bank financial institutions.NPRA currently has 86 service providers made up of 25 licensed corporate trustees, 15 registered pension fund custodians and 46 registered pension fund managers.“We are monitoring this activity closely and are aware that there are still some corporate trustees, who have disregarded the directives of the NPRA,” he said.He told the service providers that they could be punished in line with the penalties spelt out in the law for every infraction.Mr Senanu, however, said overall the compliance level is encouraging, but urged the service providers to deal with the challenges of inadequate training, lack of appropriate pension management software and information, communication and technology infrastructure to facilitate their operations.“You are encouraged to review your performance over the period of engagement with the NPRA and align your activities to aim at reasonable and remarkable level of compliance as a way forward,” he said.Mr Senanu urged pension fund Managers and pension fund custodians to continue to work efficiently with their corporate trustees and be guided by the guidelines which streamlines their operations to ensure full compliance with the NPRA.“Henceforth, performance, reporting and compliance level will contribute in the overall assessment and renewal of services providers licensed or registered with the NPRA,” he said.On schemes with overlapping membership, which has delayed the operations of the 2nd Tier Occupational Pension Scheme for government workers, Mr Senanu said the matter is being pursued vigorously with the government and expressed hope of an early resolution.Currently, below 6,000 employers out of about 45,000 establishments per Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) records have been enrolled.Touching on the transfer of funds from the Temporary Pension Fund Account (TPFA), Mr Senanu said a TPFA Reconciliation committee had been setup by the Authority, whose membership is made up of representatives from NPRA, SSNIT, Controller and Accountant General Department and the Fund Administrator.The members are to resolve all reconciliation issues with the TPFA recommend and coordinate a roadmap for the transfer of funds to approved trustees.The committee’s report, he said, is expected to be ready by the first week of February, 2014 and the processes exhausted by the end of the first quarter.Mr Senanu said a roadmap to enable SSNIT collect Tier-2 Contributions from Employers without Schemes is also being implemented.He said a Public Notice for SSNIT to continue the collection into the TPFA has been issued to all SSNIT Branches and published in the print media and on the NPRA website to avoid any chaos.SSNIT would continue to collect the monthly contributions from employers without schemes, until employers are enrolled.However, the Authority had submitted its requirements to SSNIT about the extension and management of collection of Tier-2 contributions and in consultation with SSNIT on the subject to act as a collecting institution for a fee.Mr Senanu said the authority is in the process of compiling data on all trustee details, schemes, details of fund managers, fund custodians, employers enrolled including; employee strength and their respective employee details (bio-data).He encouraged corporate trustees to demonstrate commitment to move out of Accra, in order to improve their scheme membership and to contribute to the successful implementation of the scheme across the country.Mr Senanu said the authority is in discussion to identify and provide incentives for corporate trustees who would be willing to cover other regions apart from Greater Accra.GNA

Accra, Jan. 16, GNA - Mr A.Y.O. Modoc, Director of Afram Plains Development Organisation, a non-governmental organisation, has called for strong network of community-based groups towards effective and appropriate behavioural communication for sanitation.Mr Modoc advocated the need to develop strong partnerships towards tapping local latrine designs and improve on them to ensure their sustainability.He said this on Thursday in Accra at a seminar on Northern Region Small Town (NORST) pilot on Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) project in small towns.Mr Modoc said the CLTS project empowers the rural folks to construct their own latrines.He said the standards of these latrines have over a period of time experienced some setbacks.He said notwithstanding the pitfalls, some community members are faced with the challenge of inadequate funds to construct their desired latrines and called on the authorities to liaise with financial institutions to provide credit for the development of the sanitation markets.Mr Modoc explained that the sanitation market is a latrine information centre where all available latrines are displayed to support communities to make the appropriate latrine choices.He said the objective is to assist in constructing household latrines to improve sanitation in the districts and support district assemblies to network with other agencies to promote general sanitation and create a model of credit to support them to enhance sanitation and improve health.In an address read on behalf, Mr Akwasi Oppong-Fosu, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development said the Ministry in July 2013 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with results-based financing organisations for the provision of sanitation and hygiene at the community level.Mr Oppong-Fosu said the CLTS are involved in mobilising communities to completely eliminate open defecation and build latrines through a process of facilitation.He said the Ministry has adopted the CLTS programme as a national strategy and is currently rolled out in selected districts in Upper West, Upper East, Northern, Central and Volta Regions.Dr Andrew Livingston, Director of NORST Project said the project started in 2008 with funding from Ghana and Canada to enable the country to implement decentralised water and sanitation delivery in the Northern Region.He said the project is being implemented in 13 districts assemblies in the Northern Region, covering 20 small towns with about 150,000 people beneficiaries.Madam Martha Tia-Adjei, CLTS Focal Person for NORST Project said the Project was piloted in Karaga and Nanumba North District Assemblies in collaboration with the development partners.She said the project organised refresher training of regional facilitation team, hands on training of district facilitation teams, triggering of section and stakeholders durbar in Karaga and Bincheratanga.She said the project was successful in spite of some challenges such as lack of funds and irregular monitoring, and advocated the creation of sanitation markets and provision of micro credit.GNA

Accra , Jan 16, GNA -The Dangme West Mutual Health Insurance Office in Dodowa, will in February this year organise a training programme for staff especially National Service Personnel to be abreast of current trends in the service industry.The training will highlight the rationale and objective of the health insurance scheme as well as remind staff of the total operations of the scheme, the chain effect of each department with special attention to customer care.Mr Peter Awidi, District Manager of the Dangme West Health Insurance Office who spoke to the Ghana News Agency about the training said the National Health Insurance Authority would soon go biometric hence the need to train the staff especially in dealing with the masses.“With the biometric cards we expect more clients since clients will have to come personally to sign unto the scheme or renew their cards,” he said.Mr Awidi explained that the staff could be overwhelmed with the increased numbers, hence the importance to train them to be polite and treat each customer nicely.He said: “You need not to be a public relations officer to be able to handle customers in this industry.”Mr Awidi said the approach to customer needs vary and it is important that staff especially those who deal with clients meet their needsHe said the office usually hold such training programmes twice a year to facilitate the monitoring of staff attitudes and ensure that they do the right thing.GNA

Accra, Jan. 16, GNA - The Lawra Youngsters Association, has congratulated Mr Pascal Dery, for being nominated as the District Chief Executive (DCE) by President John Dramani Mahama.The chapter also commended the assembly members for putting the welfare of the area, above their personal interests to approve the nomination in good faith despite their political linings.A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday by Mr Saakuur Karbo Augustine, President of the Chapter, said it is the expectation of the people that he would use all the experience at his disposal to help develop Lawra and its environs.The chapter also called on Lawra citizens to help in the concerted efforts to “fight against poverty, preventable diseases, ignorance and eliminate illiteracy”.GNA

Wa, Jan. 16, GNA – Poor sanitary conditions at the Wa abattoir shocked the Upper West Regional Minister, Dr Ephraim Avea Nsoh beyond his imagination when he paid a visit to the facility.The abattoir supplies meat to the whole of Wa town and beyond.The Minister who suddenly lost appetite for a canned drink he was sipping to quench his thirst, had no choice than to throw it away angrily, when he saw the appalling nature of the slaughter house.Dr Nsoh visited the abattoir as part of his tour of areas contributing to the local economy within the Wa Municipality in order to acquaint himself with their problems and challenges and to see how best he could be of help to address the challenges.The Regional Minister even became more shocked when he realized the presence of an Environmental Officer, Mr Yahaya Mahama Yechinu presiding over the mess.“Master, when you come here what do you inspect and this place is in this kind of mess?” the Regional Minister queried.He asked the officer to submit to him reports that he had been writing for his office for him to study and take the necessary actions to address the situation. Other places the Minister visited included; GRATIS Foundation, the non-functioning Wa Fruit Factory, the magazine and the Shea Butter Extraction Center at Kumbiehe, a suburb of Wa.Mr Hadrat Musah Haruna, the Regional Manager of GRATIS Foundation who briefed the Minister on their operations said the Foundation manufactured agro- processing equipment for sale and offer training to young apprentices.He mentioned the lack of hostel facility to accommodate people coming from far to undergo the training as the Foundation’s main challenge.Hajia Hawa Seidu, Leader of the Mwinibinbu Women Group, operators of the Shea Butter Extraction Center complained about the difficulty they go through in order to get water to do their business.She appealed to the Minister to help them with a borehole to enable them have easy access to free water to enhance the expansion of the business.Dr Nsoh commended all for their contribution to the local economy and encouraged them to continue to do more as government appreciated their efforts.He promised to fashion out strategies to help address some of the challenges revealed to him during his tour of the areas.GNA